The college was founded as an independent girls' boarding school in 1907 by the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary (R.S.H.M.). Mother Marie Joseph Butler founded the institution to "create a place of learning where women could grow and where they could receive an education that would prepare them for positions of leadership and influence in the world."[2] Early courses at Marymount ranged from courses in domestic science to classes offered in political science and law. In 1924, Marymount became one of the first women's colleges in the United States to offer a study abroad program. Students studied at major universities in London, Madrid, Paris, and Rome, living at Marymount schools (London, Paris, Rome).

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In July 2002, Marymount officially consolidated with Fordham University, renaming the college as the Marymount College of Fordham University and becoming the institution's fifth undergraduate school. In 2005, Fordham University announced its plans to close the women's college effective June 2007 but to keep the campus, which it renamed the Marymount campus, active as a center for graduate studies. Most of the 798 Marymount students were to finish their education at the 25-acre (100,000 m2) Tarrytown, N.Y., campus, which was permanently to be known as the Marymount Campus of Fordham University - pending the University's decision of its plans to sell, or keep the property. The Westchester division of the multi-campus Fordham College of Liberal Studies, already housed at the campus, would continue and expand its liberal arts program. Fordham announced that over time, the professional school programs in business administration, social service and education would move their Westchester operations to the Marymount Campus.

In the press release announcing the phase out, the Board of Trustees of Fordham emphasized that Marymount juniors and seniors who graduated by spring 2007 would complete their degrees at Marymount College (and receive a Fordham degree and diploma), while freshmen and sophomores would complete their degrees in programs offered at one of the other four undergraduate colleges of Fordham University, if they indeed decided to remain at Fordham. The Marymount Sisters, are to remain in the residences they occupied at the closing of the school, although their teaching positions no longer existed.[3] The final class of 203 women graduated in May 2007. [1]

In August, 2007, Fordham announced it would sell the Marymount campus, to the disappointment of many alumnae since the University had purchased the college with the promise that it would try to continue to operate it as a women's institution.[4] The University claimed unjustifiable and disproportionate costs to maintain the large campus as reason for closure. On February 17, 2008, Fordham announced the sale of the campus for $27 million to EF Education, a chain of private language-instruction schools.[5]